Sri Lanka’s Love-Hate Foreign Policy

By Dinouk Colombage -November 26, 2013 |

Dinouk Colombage

Sri Lanka has for the past several years boasted a love-hate foreign policy with the West and our Big Brother to the North, India. With two US sponsored resolutions being passed at the United Nations, Tamil Nadu’s continued assault on the government over allegations of war crimes and Canada’s Prime Minister’s, Stephen Harper, decision to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013 appears to justify the hate section of our foreign relations. Of course a declaration by the Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, that he saw nothing wrong in Sri Lanka and continued support at the UN from nations including Uganda have seen an outpouring of gratitude.

Unfortunately, foreign policy dictates the standings of a country on the global stage and in the case of Sri Lanka the impression continues to falter. When Sri Lanka was scheduled to host CHOGM 2013 the government leapt at the opportunity to showcase to the world that our country is progressing beyond the three decade long civil war. The decision by the leaders of Canada and India to boycott the event appeared to leave the government unfazed. Prince Charles, the King in waiting, and the Prime Ministers of Britain and Australia were still on their way and so our Ministry of External Affairs spun the story that India and Canada stood to lose out. Rather than attempting to offer an olive branch, the regime went on the offensive suggesting that one of the leading regional powers stood to lose out from boycotting a glorified holiday to Sri Lanka.

Tamil Nadu has proven to be a thorn in the side of Indo-Lanka relations since the war ended in 2009. CHOGM 2013 was the perfect opportunity for our Foreign Ministry to begin repairing the cracks by offering India unrestricted access to the North of Sri Lanka. Instead the government was forced to wait until the Tamil National Alliance sent a separate invitation to Manmohan Singh requesting he visit the former war zones.

Having missed a golden opportunity there the government welcomed the news that David Cameron would be visiting the North. Unfortunately the love part of our foreign policy went no further. Cameron’s visit to Jaffna, and his subsequent meeting with the TNA and family members of those who have disappeared, left him with a sour impression of the supposed reconciliation efforts. In fact he chose to break protocol and publicly announced in Sri Lanka that he is giving the country till March to organise a credible investigation in to the allegations otherwise the UN would do so. His comments followed on the heels of his Foreign Secretary,William Hague, who also called for an independent, international investigation.           Read More    

Sri Lanka: Making Sense beyond theatricals- Update No. 240

                                      
  Dated 24-Nov-2013
By Col R Hariharan
Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa had spent around SL Rs 14.8 billion (as stated in parliament by Opposition), imported 54 Mercedes Benz cars for guests use, lot of time and energy to make a success of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet (CHOGM) 2013 hosted in Colombo.
The 2013 Summit had all the razzmatazz that goes with such occasions. The main summit was held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall gifted by China. The leaders’ retreat was organised at Waters Edge in the Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte in Colombo. Other venues included Hambantota and Hikkaduwa. Colombo was spruced up; Commonwealth Business Forum met and an international trade fair ‘Reflections’ was organized on the occasion.

Sri Lanka Making Sense Beyond Theatricals- Update No. 240 by nelvely

THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST COMMEMORATING DEAD LOVED ONES - TNA

November 25, 2013
There is no existing law that prevents the public from commemorating their dead relatives, children and parents therefore the armed forces do not have the authority to implement such laws, Tamil National Alliance MP Suresh Premachandran stated.

The Police Spokesman earlier stated that it was illegal to gather, protest or demonstrate in view of Heroes Day while legal action will be taken against such lawful activities.

However, MP Premachandran claimed that the Heroes Day was not a commemoration of the LTTE but all those who perished in the war.

He said that no one can prevent loved ones from commemorating the dead while adding that even the United Nations recognizes a community’s right to erect memorials for figures they respect. He also questioned as to why the government was imposing restrictions on the Tamil people and not on the commemorations of the country’s assassinated Ministers and armed personnel.

Premchandra added that the actions of the government and the armed forces were undermining the friendship with the Tamil community.

TNA against heroes’ day ban

November 25, 2013

The Tamil National Alliance says it will strongly oppose moves to prevent families in the north from commemorating heroes’ day on Wednesday.

TNA MP Suresh Premachandran told the Colombo Gazette that the while the TNA has no plans to hold any large scale events, the party may have small events in their offices.

The government announced today that any attempt to promote the LTTE directly or indirectly is a punishable offence and will be dealt with under the law.

The announcement came amidst reports some groups in Jaffna were preparing to commemorate ‘heroes day’ which was mainly a day set aside by the LTTE to remember LTTE cadres killed during the war.

Premachandran said that family members of those killed during the war, be it LTTE cadres or civilians, have a right to hold events to commemorate the dead.

He insisted that the government cannot stop such events and doing so will be a violation of the UN convention.

Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya, meanwhile, said that promoting and propagating separatist ideology within Sri Lanka directly or indirectly, even by using media freedom, and attempting to commemorate or glorify terrorists that belonged to a proscribed organization would be illegal.

“The LTTE is a proscribed organization in Sri Lanka as well as in several other countries worldwide.  LTTE terrorists have carried out a large number of destructive attacks against people and public institutions/facilities in Sri Lanka. Several heads of states including a President of Sri Lanka and a Prime Minister of India were among their targets. The population representing all ethnicities including Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims suffered three decades of terrorism and violent acts carried out by the LTTE which is known as one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations the world has ever seen,” he added.

The Northern Provincial Council is currently headed by the TNA under Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran. (Colombo Gazette)

Post-CHOGM Call For Accountability Needs To Be More Balanced

By Jehan Perera - November 25, 2013

Jehan Perera

Within Sri Lanka, the government has reason to be satisfied with the outcome of CHOGM.  President Mahinda Rajapaksa obtained the Chairmanship of the Commonwealth which is being used politically within the country to bolster the President’s image.  However, internationally, the die has been cast and the controversy surrounding the end phase of Sri Lanka’s war are going to get worse.  British Prime Minister David Cameron’s assertion that he would push for an international investigation into the last phase of Sri Lanka’s war means there will be no going back on the issues of accountability.

Now that CHOGM is over, the payback time has come.  With the British Prime Minister putting his credibility on the line, and that of his country, it can be expected that he will do his utmost to obtain the support of other like-minded countries including the most powerful in the world with whom the British have a special relationship.

During his visit to Sri Lanka the British Prime Minister repeatedly declared that its government must investigate the issue of human rights violations in the last phase of the war before the next session of the UN Human Rights Council in March 2014.   He said that if an investigation was not completed by March, he would use the UK’s ”position on the UN Human Rights Council to work with the UN Human Rights Commission and call for a full, credible and independent international inquiry”.  Having made his announcement in Sri Lanka and set a deadline, the British Prime Minister will now be under further pressure to ensure that he carries out his promise that he would push for an international probe if the Sri Lankan government did not do so on its own.   The government has to consider this as the price it has to pay for its own determination to host CHOGM and to obtain the highest level of participation from the Mother Country of the Commonwealth.

The inclination of the Sri Lankan government would be to defy international pressure in view of the public support it is receiving within the country.  Prime Minister Cameron has come under severe criticism within Sri Lanka for issuing this ultimatum to the government.  Indeed, the main opposition party, the UNP, which boycotted CHOGM on the grounds of the government’s anti-democratic conduct in the run-up to the summit, and the attempted physical assault on its leader by government allies, has nevertheless publicly declared its own opposition to an international investigation.  It said that human rights violations, or any connected issues, should be resolved within the country.  It also blamed the government for having created the background for an international investigation “by turning CHOGM into an international human rights conference.” The UNP’s position is reflective of the sentiments of the majority of the Sinhalese people who have rallied to the side of the government on account of Prime Minister Cameron’s threats.                             Read More

Reflections on CHOGM: one week on

 Monday, November 25th, 2013 

A week has passed since the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) concluded in Sri Lanka. Arguably the most controversial summit in the Commonwealth’s history, it has been a public relations disaster for both the Commonwealth and the Sri Lankan state.

If the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, had hoped the world’s media would descend on the island and blithely praise its gleaming new roads and recommend tourists to its beautiful beaches and wildlife, he must be sorely disappointed. Instead, journalists saw with their own eyes the sad legacy of the Mullivaikal Massacre of 2009 and the atrocious abuses that continue to be committed today. As a result, they duly lambasted Sri Lanka.

Furthermore, to give credit where it is due, the British Prime Minister David Cameron stayed true to his promise to ensure that the focus remained on Sri Lanka’s abuses throughout the meeting. David Cameron’s actions – visiting Jaffna on the first day of the summit with the media in tow, insisting on confronting the President on human rights, and leaving early on the final day – entirely upstaged the meeting itself.

Nevertheless, many concerns remain in the summit’s aftermath.

Although the Prime Minister stuck to his promise to shine a spotlight on Sri Lanka, this by itself changes nothing for the Tamil people who continue to suffer on that island. UK news channels showed pictures of desperate Tamil women in Jaffna, holding up photos of their missing loved ones and pleading with journalists to pass on to the Prime Minister their petitions for help. The Prime Minister is said to have been moved by what he saw, although he did not step into the crowd to speak to these people; he must understand the desperation of their situation and the high hopes his visit has given them. David Cameron also saw first-hand the determination of the Sri Lankan state to suppress those who seek to speak out about its crimes.

Nevertheless, the Prime Minister worryingly continues to think the problem in Sri Lanka can be solved through engagement and encouragement – despite the angry rebukes this approach earned him at CHOGM. He seems not to grasp that the Sri Lankan state is not an unruly child in search of a good nanny. Sri Lanka’s persecution of the Tamil people is deliberate and planned; it is rooted in the state’s very conception.

For his part, the Foreign Secretary William Hague spent much of his visit touring and commending various “peace” and “reconciliation” initiatives that have recently been set up by the Sri Lankan government. However, it is clear there cannot be real peace, let alone reconciliation, while there remains complete impunity for past crimes and while the persecution continues unabated today.

David Cameron’s strong words are further undermined by his government’s dearth of credible action on Sri Lanka. Indeed, to many British Tamils, the government’s insistence on “engaging” with the Sri Lankan state – and, even worse, its approval of the sale of British arms, marketing know-how and other services to Sri Lanka – is tantamount to collaborating with Sri Lanka’s genocide of the Tamils.

Turning to the Commonwealth we must not forget that, although CHOGM is over, the organisation remains a propaganda tool of Sri Lanka – for as long as Mahinda Rajapaksa remains its chairman. Sri Lanka will use the Commonwealth, and the toothless “capacity building” and “reconciliation” mechanisms it promotes, to undermine calls for a robust international inquiry into Sri Lanka’s past and present crimes. Despite being widely discredited in the press for his bungling and cover-ups in the run-up to the summit, the Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma seems hell-bent on helping Sri Lanka to achieve this.

Looking ahead, our attention now turns to the next UN Human Rights Council session in March 2014. The UN Human Rights High Commissioner’s call for an credible (and hence necessarily international) independent inquiry – now backed by David Cameron – has given Tamils much hope that the international community will finally grant justice for the victims of Sri Lanka’s genocide.

If David Cameron truly wishes to alleviate the suffering of those he saw in No Fire Zone and during his visit, he must back his words up with action. He must ensure that a credible inquiry takes place. He must stop UK firms delivering arms and other assistance to Sri Lanka’s genocide. As state-sponsored reprisals against those who spoke out during CHOGM begin in earnest, the Prime Minister must ensure that all who turned out to speak and plead with him during his visit did not risk their lives in vain.

Only when the British government’s strong and welcome rhetoric on Sri Lanka is backed up with meaningful and robust action, will the British Tamil community applaud this government’s commitment to human rights, justice and freedom.

UN special rapporteur to visit Sri Lanka next week
Sun, Nov 24, 2013, 09:13 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Nov 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka' External Affairs Ministry has announced that a special representative of the United Nations in Geneva will be visiting the country next week.
Secretary to the Ministry Karunathilaka Amunugama has told local media that Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons Dr. Chaloka Beyani will be arriving in the island on the 2nd of December.

During his visit Dr. Beyani is scheduled to tour the conflict-affected North. He is also scheduled to meet and External affairs Minister Professor G L Peiris and several other Ministers.
Poet Jeyapalan to be deported following investigations

By Zahrah Imtiaz-Tuesday, 26 Nov 2013

Immigration Controller Chulananda Perera says, “Poet Jeyapalan will not be immediately deported from Sri Lanka and that investigations into his conduct during his stay in the country are underway.”

Sri Lankan born, Norwegian Tamil poet and actor V.I.S. Jeyapalan was arrested on the 22 November for attending a function at the Jaffna Press Club on 18 November.

Sources reveal that media personalities as well as other members of the Jaffna community were present at the event as they wanted an audience with the actor who won the National Award for his acting in the Tamil movie Aadukalam.

Those who were present say that they only wanted to meet him as they were great fans of his films.

Perera however revealed that, “Jeyapalan had violated his visa regulations as he visited the country on a tourist visa but took part in a political meeting which he was not sanctioned to attend. The CID arrested him and handed him over to us and we are currently conducting our own investigations into the matter.”

Jeyapalan is currently detained at the Mirihana Detention Center. (Ceylon Today Online)   

The Significance Of The C’wealth And Its Heads Of Government Meeting

By Rajiva Wijesinha -November 25, 2013 |

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

The meeting in Sri Lanka in November 2013 of the Commonwealth Heads of Government provides a great opportunity for our government. This can be summed up in one word, Engagement, which Sri Lanka has not been very good at over the last few years.

The principles of engagement, which we need to understand, are very simple. First, we need to listen carefully to what others say. Second, we need to put our own perspectives and practices clearly and systematically. Thirdly, we need to search for common ground between us and our interlocutors, and work towards strengthening those commonalities and developing understanding of how mutual appreciation could be strengthened. Fourthly we need to work out where there are differences, and point out where these are because of inadequate understanding of our situation. Finally, where there are differences based on perspectives, we need to explain our own position clearly, and indicate why changes on our part would not be beneficial to the Sri Lankan people. However – and this is a vital caveat to this last aspect – we must try to understand different positions, and listen to arguments supporting them, and if necessary adjust our own positions if those arguments are clear and convincing.

About each of these, there have been great difficulties in recent years. We do not listen carefully, and we tend to put everyone who criticizes us in the same basket. We then play to local galleries by criticizing them and, since the sincere are generally nicer than those who have a subtle agenda, we are more critical of the decent. This has made us lose credibility amongst those who, even if they have different approaches in some respects, are basically our good friends. The manner in which India is often treated in our media, and even by some in authority, is a shocking example of this absurdity.      Read More

Peace As A Global Development Goal Of The Commonwealth

By Saroj Jayasinghe –November 25, 2013 |

Prof Saroj Jayasinghe

The CHOGM 2013 has come and gone. The time is now opportune to ensure that Sri Lanka takes the lead in the formulating the Commonwealth’s proposals for the Global Development Agenda of the UN. The article begins with a brief introduction to the history and relevance of United Nations Development Goals, and argues why global peace should be a primary focus for the Commonwealth. The justification for this stance of the Commonwealth is that it arose from the torture of invasions, cross-border wars and colonialism. Therefore it has a strong claim to take a firm stand against these forms violence. The Commonwealth has a right to call for a globe of peace that will prevent such calamities ever being repeated and Sri Lanka is ideally placed to take this bold stand on behalf of other members of the Commonwealth, drawing on principles of peace and tolerance.

Introduction: Why do we have global development goals?

For the first time in human civilization, the year 2000 saw all 189 nation-states of the globe agreeing to a set of development goals known as the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It was to be implemented by 2015 and became a blue print that has since shaped the global development agenda (seehttp://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/). The MDGs had the support of the world’s leading development institution, donors, and philanthropists, and mobilized resources towards eight noble common global development goals with specific targets (i.e. end extreme poverty, achieve universal education, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and forge global partnerships for development). The result was overall several impressive gains in health, human and socioeconomic development.  With 2015 fast approaching, the UN is lending its ear to institutions, nation-states and individuals, in order to develop the broadest possible consensus on the next set of global development goals (i.e. the post-2015 goals). Any proposals from the Commonwealth should therefore be considered as yet another opportunity to participate in this process.

Read More

GTF's Spokesperson Suren Surendiran interview with Sky News 

Published on Nov 23, 2013

Live interview/debate that GTF's spokesperson Suren Surendiran was on Sky News on Friday, 15/11 at 1030 UK time, when the British Prime Minister visited the North of Sri Lanka. The interview on that day was significant as it was aired live on Sky which is one of the prime TV news channels around the world including Sri Lanka and India.

The debate was significant as Lord Naseby is a Conservative Peer in the House of Lords and the Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Sri Lanka. He has been an ardent supporter of Sri Lanka, particularly the Rajapaksa Regime.

President finds superstar to be his CM candidate 

 Monday, 25 November 2013 

The state media as well as the pro-government private media have been reporting that the president is searching for a superstar to be fielded as the government’s chief ministerial candidate at the upcoming polls for the western provincial council. That superstar has now been found.

He is none other than ex-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who was out off his own bowling when he tried to send a doosra to the British prime minister who was in the island recently. Muttiah muralitharan has agreed to follow the footsteps of Arjuna Ranatunga and Sanath Jayasuriya and enter politics following retirement from cricket.

Overjoyed by his finding, the president is making plans to crown Muttiah Muralitharan as the second Tamil chief minister. He will use it as an opportunity to tell to the international community that he is giving equal status to Tamils. It is also unavoidable that he will use Muralitharan’s close ties with South India through his marriage, to his advantage. However, in South India, Muralitharan is facing strong opposition and cannot even visit his wife’s home.

However, according to reports reaching us, there is a different story to the impending political entry of Muralitharan. Just like Duminda Silva, who joined the government some time ago to prevent the cancellation of the radio frequency license of his brother, Muralitharan is supporting the government to prevent the imprisonment of his brother Muttiah Shashidaran, who is facing a huge fine for importing ethanol spirit. Investigations have revealed that he has evaded a huge income tax payment for a long time. Knowing that the only way out is by joining the government, Muralitharan is making plans to enter politics.

Colombo’s new casinos: A high risk venture?

November 26, 2013 

At the recent Commonwealth Business Forum in Colombo, the Australian tycoon who is the key investor in the much-touted ‘Iconic integrated resort’ with a casino which is to be built in Colombo was a star performer. A local newspaper quoted him as saying, “Nothing will stop Sri Lanka from becoming a top end gambling Mecca.” A profound prediction for this thrice-blessed Dhamma Dweepa!
It is difficult to access any definite information on the current status or dimensions of his proposal, especially in the context of existing law – the Casino Business Regulation Act No. 17 of 2010, which inter alia requires that the minister issues a license to a casino and that the minister specifies a designated area for the casino to operate. But it seems certain that the project is going ahead and that it has been offered some unprecedented and stunning concessions to attract the investment.

Colombo’s new casinos A high risk venture by nelvely

Murder charge lands on Duminda for praising Chandrika

 Monday, 25 November 2013 

The defence secretary has 

ordered the CID to file charges in connection with a murder in Anuradhapura town against education services minister Duminda Dissanayake after he had extended a big thank you to former president Chandrika Kumaratunga in a speech at the funeral of his father.

CID officials have reported to the defence secretary that there was concrete evidence against minister Dissanayake that he had aided and abetted the killing that had taken place some time ago. He has ordered them to obtain advice immediately from the attorney general and file charges.

The Rajapaksas are now moving to break the political popularity and authority of the late Berty Premalal Dissanayake and his family in Rajarata area. Bringing S.M. Chandrasena, the political opponent of the late Berty Premalal Dissanayake, to the fore once again, the president on November 22 appointed him as the cabinet minister of special projects. With that appointment, the policy decision of the government not to give key appointments to two members of the same family has become null and void.

The special project given S.M. Chandrasena by the president is to prevent Channel-4 media team from Britain from proceeding to Jaffna and turn them back in Anuradhapura and send them to Colombo. In recognition of the job well done, the president appointed him as a cabinet minister.

Blue Mountain Properties-Lalith Kotelawala link confirmed

 Monday, 25 November 2013 

 

As per our exposure last week (Blue Mountain Properties, yet another Ceylinco project?), the link between Blue Mountain Properties and the bankrupt Lalith Kotelawala is now coming to light.

When one of our editorial members telephoned a Blue Mountain Properties director over our report, he vehemently rejected the existence of such a link. Our editorial member asked him to exercise the right to reply, but Blue Mountain Properties are yet to do so.

Blue Mountain Properties are getting credit facilities to buy real estate through the Seylan Bank owned by Lalith Kotelawala. He is doing it in such a foolproof manner that Blue Mountain Properties’ all dealings are being personally handled by the bank’s CEO Kapila Ariyaratne. On the orders of Lalith Kotelawala, he has so far provided Rs. 150 million to Blue Mountain Properties on surety. Also, on a temporary overdraft facility, another Rs. 50 million has been given.

The intermediary between Blue Mountain Properties and Seylan Bank is Vinesh Athukorale, who is the finance controller of Blue Mountain Properties. He previously served at Brandix garments and Harris Brushes. He and Kapila Ariyaratne are very good friends. Every day after 5.30pm, the bank CEO goes to Blue Mountain Properties and looks into its activities on the orders of Lalith Kotelawala.

In addition, Blue Mountain Properties is obtaining money in an unlawful manner by way of promissory notes. Despite several complaints, the Central Bank’s non-bank financial division is keeping silent as its head Ekanayake has been bribed into silence by Blue Mountain Properties.

Previou news

Blue Mountain Properties, yet another Ceylinco project? 

Defence Ministry Slams Supreme Court; Cheats Displaced People With SC approval

November 25, 2013 |

Hundreds of displaced persons who were forcibly evicted from their own houses in Mews Street, in Slave Island  were seen weeping in the Supreme Court premises when the Urban Development Authority and Attorney General informed court that they cannot  grant alternative housing as promised previously, Colombo Telegraph learns.

Pieris and Gotabaya

Over 30 houses belonging to Muslims and Tamils were destroyed by the Military evicting the owners in order to establish a high profile school for the children for the Military Officers (not solders) in Colombo 2.

When the owners filed a case in the Supreme Court   three  years ago, the UDA undertook to build alternative accommodation in an identified location in Dematagoda. The Attorney General had also agreed to ensure that the evicted people from Mews Street would be given houses at the new housing complex in Dematagoda.

It was revealed today in Court however that those new houses in Dematagoda  had been distributed among the supporters of Thilanga Sumathipala MP who are living in Borella, and few other selected government supporters on a list prepared by the Defence Ministry,  to coincide with the Birthday of the President. The complex known as Mihindu Senpura was opened with much fanfare at Dematagoda on 18 November, by the President, the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mayor of Colombo AJM Muzammil. At the ceremony the President claimed that the housing units had been distributed among Colombo’s former shanty dwellers without considering party affiliations.

Colombo Telegraph learns further that the Defence Secretary has indicated that the petitioners in those cases will not be given houses, despite the Court order.

UDA officials who are helpless informed the petitioners that they were at risk of losing their jobs if they honoured the court order and said they were compelled to follow instructions from the Defence Secretary.

When the matter came up before court today, the De facto CJ Mohan Pieris did not want to deal with the officials of the UDA for contempt or to enforce the previous undertakings/orders of Court, and further suggested another alternative housing proposal. He also gave  a clear message to the public that the Defence Authorities were more superior to the Supreme Court under his leadership.  It is also revealed that at the time of the demolition of Mews Street houses, Mohan Pieris was an adviser to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development which justified the displacements.

Around 500 displaced persons from all parts of Colombo met thereafter  and were seen in state of shock and disbelief. They informed the Colombo Telegraph that they have no faith in any Supreme Court order or undertakings given by UDA officials in any court of law.

The ongoing evictions in the city of Colombo are widely seen as an attempt by the Rajapaksa regime to change the ethnic demographic composition in the capital in order to displace large blocs of minority voters that traditionally form part of the UNP vote base. The eviction campaign has continued consistently throughout the city with barely any resistance or opposition from the United National Party whose electoral fortunes will be directly affected by the systematic evictions.

Counting the dead and the disappeared

By Ariyaratne Ganegoda-Tuesday, 26 Nov 2013

The Department of Census and Statistics will launch a massive, islandwide survey this week, to take a count of the number of persons who had died, disappeared, wounded and disabled, in addition to a count on the loss of property during the nearly three-decade long civil war. The survey is set to be launched on 28 November (Thursday).

The nationwide survey is a key recommendation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which earlier had called for a survey to calculate the death toll of the war, especially during the final phase of the government’s military operation.

Director General of the Department, D.C.A. Gunawardhane, said the survey would be carried out in 14,022 Grama Niladhari Divisions, islandwide, and that 16,000 officials would be deployed to engage in the exercise.

The reference point of the survey is from 1982 to date, Gunawardhane said, adding that special teams of officials from the department are currently being trained to conduct the survey.He said his department would use the resources of, and personnel from the Grama Niladhari Divisions, Divisional Secretariats and District Secretariats.

The government has repeatedly brushed aside local and international calls for it to provide a civilian death count of the latter stages of the war, while contesting the figures stated by the UN that 40,000 civilians had perished during the concluding phase of the war.

The latest move comes in the wake of an ultimatum issued by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, to conclude war crime investigations by March next year, or face an international war crime inquiry.

ARACHCHIKATTUWA PS CHAIRMAN ARRESTED OVER FORGED LAND DEAL

November 25, 2013 

The Chairman of the Arachchikattuwa Pradeshiya Sabha has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over an allegedly forged land deal worth Rs 50 million, police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said.

Call for united fight against terror

November 25, 2013

Sri Lanka today called for a global coordinated effort to fight terrorism, over four years after the military defeated the LTTE.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, speaking at the Galle Dialogue today, said that some countries are selective in their fight against terrorism.

“The fight against terrorism is a global one against an enemy defined by its deliberate targeting of civilians to achieve its goal. Terrorism should be crushed wherever it emerges and nations should support each other’s efforts to do so wholeheartedly,” he said.

Rajapaksa said that there is a need for genuine corporation among nations at the highest level to defeat terrorism is a systematic and coordinated fashion.

He said that intelligence sharing, fostering maritime domain awareness through joint operations and combined patrols and enhancing inter-operatability amongst navies is one way to coordinate anti-terrorism efforts.

Rajapaksa noted that the experience gained by Sri Lanka through the successful defeat of the LTTE, especially the sea tiger unit, can be used in countering piracy in international waters.

The LTTE was the only terrorist outfit known to have possessed a maritime unit which was used to carry out attacks on the Sri Lanka navy, including suicide attacks.

Sri Lanka is currently engaged in providing weapons to private firms on ships through floating armories to counter piracy.

Rajapaksa said that utmost precautions are taken to ensure accountability for the weapons and equipment provided.(Colombo Gazette)

Haldumulla School Principal arrested for molestation

By Premalal Rathnayake-Tuesday, 26 Nov 2013

The Principal of the Haldumulla Tamil School has been arrested for sexually abusing 13 students of the school.

The abused students are male students.

The Principal has been arrested following a complaint lodged at the Police by a parent of one of the abused student.

The students have been admitted to the Diyatalawa Hospital for a medical examination. (Ceylon Today Online)

Transition To Middle Income Economy Challenging But Achievable Through Appropriate Policies

By W.A Wijewardena -November 25, 2013 |

Dr. W.A. Wijewardena

IPS SOE 2013

The Institute of Policy Studies or IPS, Sri Lanka’s independent economic policy think-tank, has issued its review of the State of the Sri Lanka’s Economy in 2013 or SOE 2013 under a theme which is both current and opportune. The theme is how Sri Lanka should ensure a smooth and seamless transition to a middle income economy. Ensuring sustainability and tackling middle income trap are issues in Sri Lanka

This may be puzzling to many because Sri Lanka is already in the Middle Income Country Category as claimed by the country’s top policy makers. Then why should IPS talk about the country’s transition to a middle income country now? The reasons are many.

One is that though Sri Lanka is in the middle income country category, it has just graduated from a poor country to a lower middle income country a few years ago. It has to go a long way to consolidate its position as a lower middle income country first and then move up in the league table as a higher middle income country and finally to be a rich country, the goal of the country’s top policy makers.

Though this growth path seems to be straight-forward and achievable without midway hassles, there are indeed some midway hassles which other countries in a similar category have faced in their journey toward becoming rich countries. That hassle is known as the Middle Income Trap in which a country is ensnared making it impossible for it to move further up.

Thus, there are two issues which a country like Sri Lanka has to resolve successfully in its current stage of economic development. One is the maintenance of the current economic growth initiatives unimpeded, known as the sustainability issue. The other is the problem of shooting the country from middle income to high income, known as the middle income country trap.

Sri Lanka may have been caught in the lower middle income trap   Read More

Buddha, Bonobos, Lincoln, And Sri Lankans

By Jagath Asoka -November 26, 2013

DR. Jagath Asoka

Scientists, philosophers, theologians, and moralists have been arguing whether human morality is imposed from above or evoked innately. When scientists say that moral behavior is a product of evolution, theologians would vehemently disagree.

What is the origin of morality and equality? Most people think that morality and equality come from the Buddha, God, Jesus, Prophets, religion, or from some transcendent wisdom. It is not in concordance with what evolution shows us; our species is much older than religion. To think that our ancestors had no sense of right and wrong before the birth of religion, God, Jesus, or the Buddha is absolutely asinine. Our ancestors had moral systems before religion. It is not far-fetched to say that moral systems gave birth to religion in various forms and manifestations. Morality is essential for our survival as a species because, often, it puts community, society, or nation before the individual. Equality is the pinnacle of morality. To think and believe that all people are created equal is essential for our own survival, and the survival of our species. Our struggle for equality continues. Both sages and sagacious politicians—the Buddha and Lincoln—have promulgated equality. Lincoln was assassinated for promulgating his belief that “All men are created equal”—Thomas Jefferson first used this phrase—All men are created equal—in the Declaration of Independence.

Humans are not the only mammals who express emotions that we would associate with equality, empathy, and fairness. Our nearest ape cousins—bonobos, gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, gibbons and siamangs—express the same emotions because evolution has shaped our moral behavior. Theologians think that God introduced us to morality, but biologists think that evolution has shaped our morality. Biologists are not bashing and trashing religion. Anatomically, anthropoid apes—bonobos, gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, gibbons and siamangs—resemble human beings. It seems that human beings have a lot in common with bonobos than with chimpanzees. Compared to chimpanzees, bonobos are less aggressive because they often have sex, giving credence to the slogan: Make Love, Not War.                           Read More